Character Creation Checklist1) Characteristicsa) Roll your six characteristics using 2D6, and place them in order on your character sheet.
b) Determine characteristic modifiers.
2) Homeworld (Optional)a) Determine homeworld.
b) Gain background skills. Character gains a number of background skills at Level 0 equal to 3 + their Education modifier. The first two have to be taken from your homeworld (based on the world's trade codes or law level); the rest are taken from the education list.
3) Careera) Choose a career. You cannot choose a career you’ve already left except Drifter.
b) Roll to qualify for that career, as indicated in the description of the career. If this is not your first career, you suffer a –2 DM for every previous career in which you have served.
c) If you qualify for this career, go to step 4.
d) If you do not qualify for that career, you can enter the Drifter career or submit to the draft. You may only enter the draft once.
4) Basic trainingFor your first term in your first career, you get every skill in the service skills table at level 0.
For your first term in subsequent careers, you may pick any one skill from the service skills table at level 0.
5) SurvivalRoll for survival, as indicated in the description of the career.
If you succeed, go to step 8.
If you did not succeed, you have died. Alternately, events have forced you from this career. Roll on the mishap table and go to step 10 (you do not receive a benefit roll for this term.)
6) Commission and Advancement a) You begin as a Rank 0 character.
b) If your career offers a Commission check and you are Rank 0, you can choose to roll for Commission. If you are successful, you are now Rank 1 in your chosen career. Choose one of the skills and training tables and roll on it for an extra skill. Take any bonus skills from the ranks table for this career.
c) If your career offers an Advancement check and you are Rank 1 or higher, you can choose to roll for Advancement. If you are successful, your Rank improves by one in your chosen career. Choose one of the skills and training tables and roll on it for an extra skill. Take any bonus skills from the ranks table for this career. You can roll for Advancement in the same term that you succeed in a Commission roll.
7) Skills and Traininga) Choose one of the Skills and Training tables for this career and roll on it. If you gain a characteristic improvement as a result, apply the change to your characteristic score immediately. If you gain a skill as a result and you do not already have levels in that skill, take it at level 1. If you already have the skill, increase your skill by one level.
b) If your career does not have a Commission or Advancement check, you may roll a second time, choose one of the Skills and Training tables for this career (which may be the same or different from the first table chosen for this term.)
Aginga) Increase your age by 4 years.
b) If your character is 34 or older, roll for aging.
9) Re-enlistmenta) Roll for re-enlistment. If you fail, you must leave this career. If you roll a natural 12, you cannot leave this career and must continue for another term, go to step 5.
b) If you have served a total of seven terms or more in character creation, then you must retire, go to step 10.
c) If you wish to continue in this career, go to step 5.
d) If you wish to leave this career, go to step 10.
10) BenefitsIf you are leaving the career, roll for benefits. A character gets one Benefit Roll for every full term served in that career. You also get extra benefit rolls if you reached a higher rank.
11) Next CareerIf you’re leaving your current career and your total number of terms in character creation is less than seven, you may go to step 3 to choose a new career or to step 12 if you wish to finish your character.
12) Buy starting equipmentPurchase your starting equipment and, if you can afford it, possibly a starship.
The above is found on page 21 of the modifiable Cepheus Game Engine. Where is it do you have to know Traveller in order to make a character? Seem like a straight step by step procedure for generating a character.